Sea Isle City Town Developments Update

What an exciting spring it has been! After enjoying Sea Isle City’s 3rd Annual Community Day on May 19 and several other successful events this month, we also had a record-breaking Memorial Day Weekend here in Sea Isle City, which included beautiful weather, a very successful Tri-For-Our-Veterans Triathlon and a very well-attended Memorial Day Ceremony that brought over 400 spectators to Veterans Park. I would like to congratulate Bridgette Summa and all of the volunteers who once again made the triathlon a reality – and for raising over $40,000 for the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund and VFW Post 1963. I am also very grateful to our many Memorial Day guests, who gave speeches, offered prayers and participated in various ways during this year’s ceremony. Special thanks go to New Jersey State Senator Jeff Van Drew, Cape May County Sheriff Gary Schaffer, Cape May County Clerk Rita Marie Fulginiti, Boy Scout Troop 76, Deacon Liam O’Clisham of Saint Joseph Church and Pastor Barbara Frohock of Sea Isle’s United Methodist Church, World War II Veteran and vocalist Russell Briggs, VFW Post 1963 Commander Charles Haines, the members of the Cape May County Militia and all of our local veterans who attended the service. We all appreciate your devotion and undying love for this nation. Special thanks also go to Pattiann Ponichtera for organizing our Memorial Day Ceremony!

As you know, during Memorial Day Weekend it is important to focus on our Country’s fallen military heroes. However, holiday weekends are also about enjoying time with loved ones at the shore, and that would not have been possible this past weekend without the hard work and dedication of many people, including the members of the Sea Isle City Police Department, the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol, the volunteers with our Fire Department and Ambulance Corps, and Sea Isle’s Public Works Department, who all did an excellent job maintaining safety and cleanliness throughout our town. It takes a tremendous amount of planning and a big group effort to host a successful holiday weekend in any resort community, and I am proud to say that we have everyone and everything we need in place to achieve that goal each day of the year.

I am very happy to announce that the results of the 2012 Top Ten New Jersey Beach Contest are in! Of all the shore towns in the Garden State, Sea Isle City is ranked fourth overall – which is something we can all be proud of. If you look at the results closely, this year we came-in behind The Wildwoods (first place) and Long Beach Island (third place), which means it took the combination of all the towns on each of those islands to beat us. This, I feel, is quite a feather in our cap. My congratulations go to the good people of those communities, and also to Ocean City, which was ranked second overall. But, just wait until next year, because Sea Isle City continues to grow and improve, and I know it won’t be long before we are ranked New Jersey’s number one beach community!

In closing I would like to give a “shout out” to Paul McGuckin on 57th Street, Richard Bashore on 79th Street, and the Farina Family on 77th Street. I recently spoke with each of them, and they all agreed that this newsletter is a wonderful way to stay informed – and that they like what’s going on in Sea Isle City. I couldn’t agree more!

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!

Mayor Leonard Desiderio

CITY COUNCIL MESSAGE:

During our last meeting on May 29, City Council passed resolution #100, which authorized Garrison Architects to perform a review of our City facilities. During the review, they will examine all of our City buildings and facilities to determine current physical conditions and our future needs. Now that our Public School is closing, we will include the school building on Park Road in this study. The review process will afford the public ample opportunity to express their opinions and concerns about all of our City facilities. Updates on the study will be included in future E-Newsletters on a regular basis.

City Council will have a mid-year review of our municipality’s 2012 Capital Plan during the June 12 council meeting. This review will be conducted on an exception basis (i.e. if there are any specific changes to our current plan).

Council would like to congratulate the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization on the successful implementation of the City’s new Jitney Service, which began on Memorial Day Weekend. Initial reports indicate that the jitneys were very well received and will help relieve traffic congestion and reduce parking problems in our downtown area.

Council would also like to congratulate Eleanor Moore and the other Beachcomber Tour volunteers for hosting another successful Turtle Party, which raised over $4000 to support the Beachcomber’s summer programs. Thanks also go to the many local commercial establishments that donated prizes for the Turtle Party auctions.

Our next City Council meeting is June 12, 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers.

Best Regards from the members of City Council

PROJECT UPDATES:

The E-Newsletters over the past several months have chronicled the progress of many of the City’s capital improvements. Now that the summer season is here, we try to limit the amount of construction taking place on public property, in order to minimize the disruption to our residents and visitors, as for many, this time of the year is precious. While we still have construction projects ongoing, and will continue to provide updates, we also are in the process of preparing and putting into place plans for the next round of capital improvements throughout the City. As part of this process, on June 12th, an update on our current capital plan will be provided to City Council at their regular meeting, with the objective of advancing funding ordinances for several projects at the June 26th Council meeting. Future E-Newsletters will provide details on planned City projects.

Phase 2 of Excursion Park, Beach to Bay Corridor – This project involved streetscape improvements to the public corridor alongJFK Boulevard from the Promenade toLandis Avenue and widening of the sidewalks along each side of this corridor by 3 feet. The contractor, Fred M. Schiavone Construction, has substantially completed the project. New energy efficient, decorative street lighting and bollard lighting has been installed, and old utility poles were removed or replaced. Paver sidewalks were installed, and hanging flower baskets were placed on the light fixtures prior to the Memorial Day Weekend. In addition, an electronic informational kiosk was installed at the street end. This project completes the beach end improvements of the City’s “Beach to Bay Corridor” project, a comprehensive capital improvement connecting the beachfront to the public marina. The next major project on the corridor is the reconstruction ofJFK Boulevard fromLandis Avenue to the bridge, which is explained below. Please see photo below of the new hanging baskets…

Demolition of Former Library/Beach Tag Facility and Conversion to Parking Lot– The parking lot was paved and lined prior to the Memorial Day weekend; and public parking was available for the holiday. The parking lot lighting will match that which was recently installed onJFK Boulevard from Landis to the promenade. Delivery of the lighting is expected next month. The project will also be landscaped during the month of June (the irrigation system must be completed and powered prior to installing the plantings). Please see photos below of the new parking lot…

Construction of Welcome Center Addition to the Community Lodge and Renovations of the Existing Lodge Facility and Site– The contractor, R. Wilkinson and Sons, is preparing to install the roof on the Lodge and Welcome Center addition, and rough-in installation of utilities within the addition continues. Siding has been installed on the Lodge, and is in progress on the addition. Progress on the project has not advanced as quickly as was expected, and the opening of theWelcomeCenter is now anticipated to take place in July. The Community Lodge will remain open and all activities will continue as planned. The City will continue to use all of its efforts to minimize the inconvenience caused by the ongoing work. The project is the culmination of several years of public discussion about the need for aWelcomeCenter, as well as the need for continued utilization of the current lodge facility. Please see photos below…

Improvements to T.I. Park (NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE) – The project has been substantially completed and the park has been reopened to the public. The project includes installation of new decking on the ramps, stairs, and pavilion area; repainting of the pavilion; and installation of new aluminum railings, providing for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Lagoon Dredging – The current status of the project is as follows:

*The contractor, Wickberg Marine Contracting of Belford, NJ, has assembled the dredge, and it is in the waterway adjacent to the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City. Dike construction has been completed; dredging is expected to start today.

*Dredging of the western end of Rio Grande Lagoon and a portion of Rio Del Isole (along Venicean Road) will take place through mid-June, with measures taken to avoid disruption to boaters.

*Dredging work will cease by mid-June and will re-commence after Labor Day, when the remainder of the lagoons will be dredged.

The project provides for the ability of private property owners adjacent to the project area to enter into an agreement with the dredging contractor to dredge their private slips (at the private owner’s expense). In conjunction with the City project, properties at the above locations do have the required permit to perform private slip dredging.

As part of this project, consistent with the commitment to afford the opportunity to private property owners to have their slips dredged (at their own expense), the City continues to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to obtain permits for previously identified areas of need, including the western side of Venicean Road (along the intracoastal waterway) and along Sounds Avenue in the area of 38th Street. Permits for these areas are not expected to be obtained until late summer or early fall, which will still allow time for these property owners to come to an agreement with the dredging contractor to have their slips dredged prior to completion of the overall project.

Sewer and Road Reconstruction on Central Avenue (49th to 69th Street) – The project has been contracted to the firm of Lewandowski Construction Industries, Inc., of Waterford, NJ. The project is being performed in two phases: the first being from 49th to 63rd Street and the second phase from 63rd to 69th Street. The contractor has ceased construction operations for the summer season and will start back up after Labor Day. Utility work was completed from 63rd Street to 55th Street, and the road surface was temporarily restored to allow for vehicular travel with no detours or obstructions over the summer. There was some settlement of the temporary road pavement this past week, but the City immediately secured the problem areas and the contractor promptly repaired the work yesterday. The remainder of phase one (to 49th Street) along with phase two (from 63rd to 69th Street) will be completed in the fall, after which the entire roadway will be resurfaced. The project will provide for an upgraded sewer system and new road surface for the entire one mile stretch of roadway. This section of sewer has been problematic for years, with continuous maintenance issues; and this project will not only provide for appropriate sewage infrastructure, it will assist in decreasing the amount of ground water sent to the county sewage treatment plant, thus saving in unnecessary costs associated with the treatment of “infiltration” water.

Utility Reconstruction on Landis Avenue (54th to 69th Street) – The project has been contracted to F.W.Shawl & Sons, of Marmora, NJ, and will provide for water and sewer line replacement in advance of the County project to resurface Landis Avenue from 54th to 69th Street. To date, the contractor has installed hydrant services, water main extensions out of several intersections, and new water services to adjacent properties. Utility work will continue for about two weeks into June, then will be suspended for the remainder of the summer and resumed in the fall. The County is scheduled to resurface Landis Avenue from 54th to 69th Street in the spring of 2013. Trench restoration is on-going and settled trenches will be brought back to grade to eliminate any severe bumps.

Inflow and Infiltration (I & I) Remediation – The firm of Video Pipe Services, Inc. of Newfield, NJ, has substantially completed the major re-lining and repairs, but must complete some corrective work to internal repairs to finalize their contractual obligations. Some of this work may require excavation of the road surface, and if so, will not take place until the fall. The need for this project was identified over the past several years through a comprehensive investigation and analysis of the City’s sewer system. Sewer systems are prone to both inflow (overland water entering the sewer system through manhole covers and other surface openings in the system) and infiltration (entry of groundwater into pipelines through cracks, deteriorated pipe, and pipe joints). The effects of I & I are symptoms of deterioration of the sewer system that must be corrected to avoid more problematic maintenance issues and potential failure of the sewer system. I & I is also costly, in that the City must pay for the unnecessary treatment of water that enters the sanitary sewer system. This is the first phase of a multi-year citywide sewer maintenance and improvement project that will ensure the continued viability of the City’s vital sewer infrastructure. The next phase of I & I work will involve replacement of sewer lines that cannot be substantially corrected through internal, “no-dig” repairs, as are being performed in this phase. As those projects are engineered and prepared for bidding and construction, we will provide updates on the specific details of the projects.

Utility Reconstruction, Various Streets (NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE) – The project includes replacement of deteriorated underground utilities (water and sewer) in several streets, as part of the City’s comprehensive road and utility program. At the April 10th City Council meeting, the council authorized award of a construction contract for the project to Garden State General Construction, Inc., of Rio Grande, NJ, in the amount of $607,653.92. The construction work to perform the utility replacement will take place in the fall. Following utility work, the streets will receive new surface paving. The following streets are included in this project:
1. 50th Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade
2. 51st Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade
3. 60th Street, Landis Avenue to Central Avenue
4. 43rd Place street-end with guide rail barrier
5. 42nd Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade
6. 79th Street, Landis Avenue to Central Avenue
7. 60th Street, Landis Avenue to Beach End

JFK Boulevard Reconstruction, from Bridge to Landis Avenue – The County has been working with the City for design of the project to reconstruct and reconfigure JFK Boulevard from the bridge to Landis Avenue. The project limits also include reconstruction of Landis Avenue from JFK Boulevard to 40th Street. The project scope will include the addition of widened sidewalks, decorative lighting, streetscape improvements and landscaping, drainage improvements, and elevation of the road surface, which will assist during times of flooding. The County Engineer and the design engineering firm of Urban Engineers (which is under contract to the County), along with the City Engineer, made a presentation on the JFK Boulevard project on March 7, 2012 in council chambers, at which time those in attendance were informed of the project details and the proposed timing of the project. The meeting was attended by approximately 30 members of the public and the media, with the opportunity for questions and concerns to be raised. The engineers addressed issues relative to drainage, traffic, the proposed elevation of the road surface, changes to the road configuration, and the new streetscape. The project involves federal funding, and the next step is for the County to obtain authorization from federal and state agencies to proceed to bidding. The county expects to receive this authorization by July and put the project out to bid by the end of August in order to award a contract for a fall 2012 construction start. In this event, construction will take place between October 2012 and May 2013.

Paving of 43rd Street from Landis Avenue to Park Road – The project involves final resurfacing of the street, along with associated replacement of some of the adjacent curb and sidewalk. The work was contracted to the firm of Arawak Paving Co., Inc., of Hammonton, NJ. The paving project was completed prior to the Memorial Day weekend, and finalizes a complete reconstruction of this section of 43rd Street, which previously received new water and sewer lines. Please see photos below of 43rd Street…

Turtle Sculptures – The City previously authorized the acquisition of two signature turtle sculptures, one for placement at the JFK and Pleasure Avenue corner of Excursion Park and the other at the north end entrance of Sea Isle. The sculpture at Excursion Park will be approximately six feet in length and the north end sculpture about three feet in length. The delivery of the sculptures has taken longer than anticipated; but they have arrived at the port of Newark, with delivery and installation scheduled to take place in the first half of June.

County Drainage Improvements – The County has contracted with RTW Construction to perform several drainage improvement projects in Sea Isle City. RTW has completed drainage work on Park Road and at 79th Street, between Landis and Central Avenue. Last week, they completed drainage improvements on Landis Avenue between 24th and 25th Street, which completes this project.

Marina Building – The City’s newMarina building was completed and marina operations were moved out of temporary facilities and into the new building this past winter and spring. The new building also contains public restroom facilities. This past spring, the City’s Public Works forces completed the site work concrete and landscaping around the building, putting the finishing touches on another fine public asset that will serve the City for many years to come. Please see photos below of theMarinaBuilding…

PLEASE CONSERVE WATER:

Due to ongoing concerns about below-normal precipitation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection urges residents to conserve water inside and outside of the home. While recent rainfalls have helped ease this year’s precipitation deficits somewhat, the effects of an unusually dry winter and spring are starting to be felt across the state.

Here are several water-saving tips we can all follow:

–Do not over-water lawns and gardens.
–Use a hose with a hand held nozzle to water flowers and shrubs
–Turn off faucets while brushing teeth and shaving
–Fix leaky faucets and pipes
–Run washing machines and dish washers only when full
–Install high-efficiency toilets, faucets and shower heads
–Use a broom to sweep the sidewalk instead of a hose
–Use mulch and native plants to conserve water in gardens
–Use a rain barrel to capture water for gardens
–Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to water trees and gardens

IS AN UNPAINTED INTERSECTION A CROSSWALK?

A crosswalk is an extension of the road, sidewalk, curb or edge of the shoulder at an intersection for people on foot. Crosswalks may be either marked or unmarked. A marked crosswalk is any portion of the road outlined by painted markings or a different texture of concrete or brick pavers.

Crosswalks exist at nearly every intersection inSeaIsleCity(corner to corner, painted with stripes or unpainted). According to the State ofNew Jersey, the law requires all vehicles to stop for all pedestrians at all crosswalks.

Crosswalks exist at all legs of all intersections unless they have a sign that prohibits pedestrian crossing. Not every crosswalk is marked with painted lines. In fact, most are not. Painted crosswalks serve as a reminder to drivers to stop for pedestrians. However, many drivers believe that they only have to yield to pedestrians at intersections with painted white lines – this is not the case. Drivers should know the laws and stop for pedestrians at all types of crosswalks.

For more information, visit www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/pedsafety/crosswalks.shtm.RIDE THE JITNEY!

SeaIsleCity’s new Summer Jitney Service is a great way to get around town. Jitneys are now available on weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) through June 17. Jitneys will run seven days a week between June 22 and September 2. On Sunday mornings, jitneys are available starting at 8:00 a.m. so people can leave their cars at home while attending church.

Jitneys travel north and south along Landis Avenue (1st to 94th Street), and east and west along JFK Boulevard (Promenade to the Marina District and Funland Amusement Park). Jitneys also run along Park Road/Fish Alley (Welcome Center to the new Library) between 3:00 and 11:00 p.m.

The fare to ride the jitney is $2.00 per person (one way) until 11:00 p.m. The fare is $4.00 per person (one way) between 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Kids under age 5 ride for free. NOTE: Businesses throughout town will be selling books of 10 tickets for $15.00. Visit www.seaislechamber.com to learn where you can buy books of tickets.

For more information about the jitney service, visit www.seaislecitynj.us and click the “Visitor Information” tab.